Lady Gaga
Artpop

Lady Gaga explained the premise behind her new album, Artpop, to The Guardian this way: “I stood in front of a mirror and I took off the wig and I took off the makeup and I unzipped the outfit and I put a black cap on my head and I covered my body in a black catsuit and I looked in the mirror and I said: ’OK, now you need to show them you can be brilliant without that.’” To wit, the initial publicity photos released for the album picture Gaga with comparatively little makeup or clothing and donning her natural hair color (if not her actual hair), suggesting that the singer was indeed, finally, stripping away the pretense of her ceaseless performance-art persona. And the lyrics to “Aura,” the very first song that leaked from the album, appeared to bear this out: “Do you wanna see the girl who lives behind the aura, behind the curtain, behind the burqa?”

But it was ultimately just a tease. While Gaga may be naked on the album’s cover, it’s telling that her body isn’t flesh and blood, but a statue. No sooner had the lead single, “Applause,” been released than Gaga was quickly reverting to outlandish costumes almost like a reflex. The choice of “Applause,” a love letter to her fans (or, rather, her fan’s love), as Artpop’s first single is indicative of Gaga’s continued enabling of her co-dependent relationship with her “little monsters,” and rather than open herself up to a wider audience, the song only further cocoons her. And her articulation of the album’s theme has been, to be generous, ever-evolving. As she admits on the title track, “Artpop could be anything”!

This lack of clarity and focus is reflected in the music itself. Though the dismal, trap-inspired dud “Jewels n’ Drugs” flaunts Gaga’s versatility, it primarily serves to highlight the album’s lamentable throw-everything-against-the-wall approach. (The second single, “Do What U Want,” more seamlessly integrates urban elements into Gaga’s signature EDM aesthetic.) Artpop isn’t the sound of an artist moving forward, but of one scrambling to maintain, if not reclaim, her position among today’s pop elite. It’s a strategic step backward, with songs like “G.U.Y.” and “Sexxx Dreams” channeling the vapid party girl of The Fame’s “LoveGame” and “Just Dance,” and “Mary Jane Holland” and “Gypsy” reminiscent of standout tracks from Born This Way.

What makes Artpop impossible to dismiss, however, is that when Gaga revisits more conventional pop sounds and structures, the results are often sublime—and surprisingly revealing. She alternately conjures Debbie Harry and a helium-voiced pop cipher a la Britney Spears or Paris Hilton on “Sexxx Dreams,” but when the music drops out and she coyly addresses the object of her subliminal fantasies, you get the sense that Gaga is finally giving us a glimpse of the real Stefani Germanotta. And though the euphoric “Gypsy” is essentially a rewrite of “The Edge of Glory,” the song examines Gaga’s unyielding lust for the spotlight far more effectively than “Applause” does.

“G.U.Y.” doesn’t really bring anything new to the canon of pop songs exploring sexual role reversal, but Gaga executes it like a dedicated apprentice. In fact, that’s the fundamental lesson of Artpop: Gaga is still very much a pupil of pop, scavenging for inspiration like an undergraduate in a late-night cram session. Cribbing from Sun Ra by way of French duo Zombie Zombie, “Venus” confirms that she knows how to write catchy hooks, just not what to do with them or, more importantly, how to self-edit. Despite some welcome hints of B-52’s-style camp, the song’s daft spoken bridge basically amounts to an elementary tutorial on astronomy. There was a certain wit to “Paparazzi” and “Telephone,” particularly the videos, but Gaga’s sense of humor has largely evaporated, replaced with an air of self-importance in both her activist and musical works, making it difficult to determine if a song like “Venus” is genuinely intended to be avant garde or if she’s just taking the piss.

Of course, Gaga continues to be a student of Madonna, and the songs that most plainly draw from the headmistress of pop’s oeuvre prove to be some of the album’s grooviest. Remarkably, given that the track was co-written by one of the producers responsible for “Born This Way,” “Fashion!” isn’t bashful about its nods to both “Holiday” and, in what will inevitably scan as a dig, “Material Girl” (“I feel alive when I transform/But this love’s not ma-teri-aaal!”), while the slick Eurodisco of the title track conjures Madge’s Confessions on a Dance Floor.

Coincidentally, “Artpop,” a tribute to hybrids and contrast, is the closest Gaga comes to establishing a coherent theme for the album. “We could, we could belong together: art, pop,” she chants, her robotic timbre juxtaposed with operatic background vocals. She marries eccentric, glitchy verses and an anthemic pop hook on “Aura,” and deftly emblematizes the often-overlooked lineage between the aggression of metal and techno on “Swine.” In the end, though, it’s Artpop’s most naked, straightforward pop moments that are the album’s most redemptive. As Gaga concedes: “Sometimes the simplest move is right/The melody that you choose can rescue you.”

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That isn't fair to Debbie Gibson. She was/is a very talented vocalist and pianist/songwriter. And she ACTUALLY can do musical theater.

Posted by Graffiti Heart on 2016-10-19 18:36:58

If it were a lot broader and deeper her catalogue would be broader and deeper than Madonna's, and it isn't. Lady Gaga's voice actually suits pub rock much better than Madonna's, and a portion of her work has been and is what I would call pub rock and pub pop ( thank you for the unintended inspiration to nail her work succinctly :) ) , add her newly produced pub country to the mix, and we can with certainty say that Lady Gaga is the contender for the pub singer's voice. Madonna has subtlety, which doesn't make for a nice fit for pub music, that's why Madonna has beautiful ballads, whereas Lady Gaga does not. Again, it is the pub music voice with the pretentious snotty twist, brilliant for Comedy Panto but not when one wants to get something etherically emotive across. Lady Gaga's 'Jazz' relates more to the diddly daddly plodder one hears in elevators or, again ( thank you ), in pubs on highschool nights where eager singers show their full range, dreaming of going to stage school one day, oversinging and picturing themselves as the leading role in some remade remade remake of " A Star Is Born " or something, Debbie Gibson going Sinatra and Garland. Where's your marbles ? And Madonna actually lived the poor artist life in NY, Lady Gaga went to the same school as Paris Hilton. Me thinks you are talking out of your behind.

Posted by Kroiiil on 2016-10-19 18:31:19

Sorry but while some of those artists you listed might have influenced Lady Gaga where exactly do you hear those influences on this album? Not to mention, Madonna was cited very specifically on the song "Fashion" which very clearly pays homage to post-disco dance music, which Madonna spearheaded in the early 80's. I don't hear Springsteen on this song or Frank Sinatra lol. There's no shame in being a student of Madonna. She's the queen of pop and Gaga is a follower. Big deal. And yes Madonna started off in dance. She also started out in musical theater (both in school and in NYC), as well as performed as a drummer and singer for several new wave and rock bands. What's your point? Their backgrounds are irrelevant.

Posted by Graffiti Heart on 2016-10-19 17:48:48

''Of course, Gaga continues to be a student of Madonna, ''

this Madonna fixation is not only reductive but it belies a narrow frame of musical reference. Gaga frame of reference is a lot broader and deeper than = Madonna. lol.

Addressing her work through the prism of this imagined Madonna-ness is problematic and self-defeating.

Gaga draws musical and visual inspiration from a motley crew of artists. She's no Madonna. Madonna has a pub singer's voice, even on her best day.

Freddie. MJ. Prince. Bruce Springsteen. Whitney. Elton John. The Beatles. ACDC, those are just some influences I can cite off the top of my head.

I think reviewers and reviews that tread the straight and narrow path of the now trite/tired Madonna comparisons are really doing so because it's the path of least resistance.

A little more imagination (and research on part of the reviewer) will reveal Gaga to be a DIY postmodern artist with a heightened faculty and feeling for bricolage. She's got the tools. She's got the taste. She's been a music, jazz and theater kid all her life. It shows.In her performance aesthetic and, less so, on her records. There's a reason jazz legend Tony Bennett extols the virtues of her ''genius'' for performance and theatricality. This theatricality and performativity has precedents in popular culture that go waaaaaay past Madonna. and way way back. Back to Judy Garland and Sinatra.

She's a music/band/jazz/theater nerd! Madonna isn't. there's one difference I can think of already. and there are so many more. Madonna started off in dance.

Gaga in theater and underground pop burlesque acts. She was hustling on the New York underground scene for years, played her first club at 14. and it shows in her work. She's not manufactured, musically speaking. there's an artist in there who knows the hustle because she has lived it. who has dragged her tired ass and her instruments from door to door, club to club, stage to stage.

from the bottom up. in a grass roots way. i think it's important to consider the markedly different ways their respective careers took off.

Posted by Ahmed Ali on 2016-10-19 17:09:46

The rating on this review has never been modified.

Posted by Slant Magazine on 2015-01-11 09:27:07

wow you modified the album rating like twice!

Posted by Bruno on 2015-01-11 03:57:38

It's now 10 months later. The media has shown you how. Eating crow is something many of these commenters must be good at as the numbers have proven Katy & Beyonce's popularity while Gaga is still in a downward spiral.

Posted by LadyAmethyst on 2014-09-17 17:22:04

That's ok. Everyone else does.

Posted by Sophia on 2014-04-12 18:14:48

Rihanna seems to be taking her longest break...ever, right now. That can't be good. (I mean, she needs inspiration- bad. But she never had much of it before.)

Katy's making some of her best music now. I've had a little trouble admitting over the years that I love "Hot n Cold," but "Dark Horse" is wonderful. No apology necessary. Or guilt.

But, piss off if you don't think Miley's doing excellent work right now. You give me a break.

I'm really hoping this will be the year for a new Ke$ha album, with or without the $. Just because Rihanna will probably not be giving us a new album this November.

Agreed on Britney and Beyoncé. Christina... well, Bionic was interesting. I'm quite sorry it didn't work out. I mean, did you catch that list of producers she worked with? Ladytron, Peaches, Le Tigre... that's what I used to listen to before I had a clue who Lady Gaga was! I'm 31 and I used to rock Le Tigre in HIGH SCHOOL! Who even told Christina who Ladytron and Peaches were???

Posted by No-Personality on 2014-04-03 22:05:11

Gaga not around much longer? I didn't know Beyoncé still was.

Posted by No-Personality on 2014-04-03 21:56:32

Lorde is formulaic music for Nylon readers. As is Lana del Ray.

Posted by lola_irtis on 2013-12-15 02:21:07

Why do you look like the 80's gen in your avatar ?

Posted by lola_irtis on 2013-12-15 02:20:16

There is nothing Pop Royalty about cobbling songs together that one has already heard in some form over past decades.

Posted by lola_irtis on 2013-12-15 02:18:19

It will be remembered for the 80's Mall Rock style.

Posted by lola_irtis on 2013-12-15 02:16:09

" to spread a message of love "

What, by copying various artists and, for a long time, not speak up when her fans bully other fanbases ?

What a message of love that is.

Posted by lola_irtis on 2013-12-15 02:15:28

Neither are elite.

Posted by lola_irtis on 2013-12-15 02:14:24

"I love that Gaga is the ONLY new generation pop star compared with pop legend Madonna."

There is no comparison. The only comparisons made, are her ripping through Madonna's work.

Posted by lola_irtis on 2013-12-15 02:13:28

"My reasons to defend her are that most of what you are saying is either biased or just not true. That's not exactly difficult to come up with one only needs to have honesty and a functioning brain."

Um, no. All it needs is a minimum of research. Which you're too lazy to do. So you have no right to dismiss something easily trace. Twat.

Posted by lola_irtis on 2013-12-15 02:11:56

"You are still rather pathetic for doing so because spreading rumors and ridiculous conspiracy theories is pathetic and obsessive, it just is."

It's not hearsay when there are pictures. You bloody moron.

Someone should slap you against the forehead. I mean ..

Posted by lola_irtis on 2013-12-15 02:09:36

You seek research. Not run your silly mouth off without knowledge, looking like a twat that you are.

What is Pop Elite about doing everything that has already been done before ?

Posted by lola_irtis on 2013-12-15 02:01:11

*cackles hysterically* Your girl Gaga spent 25 million promoting an album that sold only 258,000 copies in its first week and dropped like 82% after that. She had to offer it at a discount to get the sales back up. She was literally begging fans to buy it. In other news, Beyonce sold out a world tour before releasing an album. Then she went, "Surprise!" and sold more albums in one day....While it was only available on iTunes. Jesus, help me. I think I'm crying laughing.

Posted by Sophia on 2013-12-14 23:55:50

" and has done many things that have never been done before "

total bs

Posted by lola_irtis on 2013-12-14 18:41:43

" and has done many things that have never been done before "

total bs

Posted by lola_irtis on 2013-12-14 18:41:43

I really like this album, the problem is most of the tracks are growers. The clear standout is Do what U Want ft. R. Kelly. Pure synth, electro, R&B, Pop.. so many genres coming together to create a perfect song.

The album is a bit exhausting to listen to though, the electro beats wear you the eff out until Dope the only real breather starts playing. Lady Gaga is a good performer but as a fan I'd wanna see her drop some of the pretentious Art this Art that claims and just make good music without all the overthinking

Posted by Geovane M. on 2013-12-11 00:03:13

It is nice, but Born This Way was better.Anyway, "SWINE" is a masterpiece and the other GREAT tracks are "Jewels & Drugs", "ARTPOP" and "Aura.

Posted by Mathias Vidales on 2013-11-30 05:38:57

Still stuck on the fact that people in the comments think that Gaga could be a match for Beyonce on any level. Beyonce's been around since the early 90's and this woman is still selling out world tours without an album or a single attached. Gaga (culturally appropriating, irritating Gaga) will not be around for much longer. Especially with these latest album sales. Regardless, the review seemed honest. Liked it even if I didn't care for the album (or the artist).

Posted by Sophia on 2013-11-23 23:16:20

Agreed. And you got a cackle out of me.

Posted by Sophia on 2013-11-23 23:04:46

Maybe because Madonna has been singing for like 100 years already thats why she out sells other artists she is a dinosaur already

Posted by chris on 2013-11-14 18:58:58

Well said Nichola agree 1000%

Posted by chris on 2013-11-14 18:48:41

How is Beyonce and Katy Perry more successful???? please tell :)

Posted by chris on 2013-11-14 18:48:29

Art (you wish!) Pop

Posted by shazwagon on 2013-11-12 04:57:03

Spreading hate? Because I'm not a fan of a popstar? Oh PLEASE. Dude, I do TONS of good things in my life, nor do I need a morality lesson from you. Good grief.

Posted by Justifymyconfessions on 2013-11-10 08:23:34

"*smacks forehead with palm* Can you not understand basic English?"

Well we have been having a conversation for the past few days in English so I would assume that I can. Are you going to point out any specific problem with my understanding of basic English or was that just another pathetic insult attempt?

Anyway I have already addressed this. There wasn't much talk of her wheelchair on the news in my country, I had heard that she was in one and I heard about the hip thing. I think I even saw A picture of the chair but that is all I heard about because I didn't read the stuff about it.

Look this whole thing was just abut some off hand comment I made about not hearing about people being offended by it but weather or not I heard about it doesn't matter!

The fact is you seem to know all about it, you seem to know all about her tour, her injury, where she was photographed and when, everything she has said and done on twitter, everything everyone else is saying about her ect ect and you claim to dislike her.

Either you are obsessed or this is all just hearsay (which it is) and you shouldn't be spreading it about. You are still rather pathetic for doing so because spreading rumors and ridiculous conspiracy theories is pathetic and obsessive, it just is.

But anyway you have obviously spent allot more time reading, writing and thinking about Lady Gaga than I have and you aren't even a fan, so what does that say about you?

Posted by michaelbarrett92 on 2013-11-10 08:08:09

''What in the world would a Madonna fan have to be DESPERATE about?'' (?????!!!!?) DAMN. Another day, another essay on subject LADY GAGA written by YOU. Check my comments history, I have never shaded Queen Madonna and I will never do that. Go and watch her Revolution Project and start practicing those words. Stop spreading hate. Find someone to love. Do something productive. Seek help. Have a nice day.

Posted by ksenofont on 2013-11-09 17:43:32

And that is exactly why people hate Gaga these days. Because if you don't like Gaga or agree with her, then you are "desperate". Seems it's Gaga and her dumbass minions that are the "desperate" ones- so fucking DESPERATE to have her surpass Madonna in any way, shape, or form- you tell others to kill themselves or to die or to become infected with AIDS if you so dare to dismiss the magnificent Lady Gaga. Fuck off with your desperation- meanwhile, I'll be looking forward to Madonna's next tour that will completely annihilate and overshadow Miss Madonna Wannabe's silly tour that FAILED and was cancelled due to LOW TICKET SALES. Who is desperate again?

Posted by Justifymyconfessions on 2013-11-09 13:51:23

*smacks forehead with palm* Can you not understand basic English? My GRANDMA knew that Gaga was being pushed around in a gold-encrusted wheelchair after her fake injury, and she certainly does not follow the actions of pop stars. It was all over facebook, twitter, and many other social mediums. We saw it on Vh-1 as well. Not my fault you live in a cave. Just because I follow pop culture does not mean I am "obsessed" with anything. I used to be a fan of Lady Gaga, until she started to suck. Seems to me that this information simply bugs you.

Posted by Justifymyconfessions on 2013-11-09 13:37:53

You keep calling me stupid yet you are the one who looks it in this conversation. I don't watch news stations that bang on about pop stars and I doubt many in my country would report on her sodding chair. I was making the point that you obviously have much more of an interest in Gaga and her career than I do, this seems a bit odd considering how much you seem to hate her. You have obviously spent a long time collecting all this mud to throw in Gaga related discussions so I think I am justified in saying that you obviously have a little bit of an obsession.

Posted by michaelbarrett92 on 2013-11-09 12:26:06

LMAO! What in the world would a Madonna fan have to be DESPERATE about? Dude, she's the biggest fucking female artist in history- she had the top grossing tour of 2012- she BEAT Lady Gaga in just about everything.

Posted by Justifymyconfessions on 2013-11-09 11:28:40

Wow you are dense. I can't help it if something about her comes ON THE NEWS as I am watching it- I don't stalk her ass. Nor can I help it if friends like her and TALK ABOUT HER.

Posted by Justifymyconfessions on 2013-11-09 11:27:40

So pretty much ALL music critics and historians of the 80's got it all wrong then? RIGHT. The difference between the two is that Madonna never once hid what inspired her- and she incorporated bits of underground art and old Hollywood glamour into her OWN art and made it fresh and new. Gaga just re-hashes OTHER CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS and puts no new spin on things. Madonna is not dead or some long-gone Hollywood starlet to make contemporary- there is no reason for Madonna's career to be re-hashed at this point. What other female pop stars had rolled around the floor in a wedding dress with a BOYTOY belt? Or wore a man's suit with a cone bra busting out of it? Of course Madonna was inspired by others around her- all artists are. But she made it her own- and was never known as a "copycat" back then. Whereas Gaga has been labeled that since she started. Big difference.

Posted by Justifymyconfessions on 2013-11-09 11:25:05

I understand that, but why not appreciate what she did without belittling the careers of other people who are much more musically inclined. Lady Gaga is very good at performing as well and has done many things that have never been done before. There is nothing wrong with being inspired, its when you steal. Which Madge did herself. You give her way too much credit she was not the only one who penned those hits or produced those tracks, and since she was copying looks dress for dress all it makes her is a filter to the masses hardly art. All of it was created before her.

Posted by Timothy Pullins on 2013-11-09 02:37:39

Do you think that I have that much time to spend it on reading your desperate essays on subject called LADY GAGA?! Hell no! Do something productive! Nobody cares what desperate Madonna stan thinks about Lady Gaga. Desperation of Madonna stans was ''IN'' like 2 years ago with Born This Way and now its just serious inner disorder level: Perez Hilton. Have nice day, meet new people, have a social life and enjoy listening to ARTPOP. Bye

Posted by ksenofont on 2013-11-08 21:41:40

"I don't "follow her every move" either- it made NEWS, dipshit."

Yes and I rarely read NEWS that is about Gaga because unlike you I do not follow her every move :/

If you hate Gaga why do you talk about her with your friends? You could just tell them you don't give a chit about Gaga's fkin chair you know.

I'm not a Monster actually. I have no problem with people who are but I don't identify as one.

Posted by michaelbarrett92 on 2013-11-08 20:18:24

*Halcyon* was a mess tbh and I am a huge Ellie Goulding fan. Bad Blood was equally disappointing it did one thing ok but that was all.

Pure Heroine while Lorde is a fantastic songwriter and every song is good they are also all a bit samey and the production could have been better. It's a good album but it has the same problems as Lana Del Reys 'Born To Die' did (although Lorde writes better lyrics)

I wouldn't agree that ArtPop is the best album of the year but I had problems with allot of the albums I have heard this year tbh.

Posted by michaelbarrett92 on 2013-11-08 20:13:33

Of course I know what that means. And YOU said it best- everything Gaga has done, Madonna has done before( and much better...). I never said Madonna was 100% original, but her art and the way she presents it is a far cry from Gaga's dumbing down, soccer-mom "art".

Madonna was a pioneer and trailblazer in music. Any music critic will tell you that any pop star of today follows Madonna's career- she not only helped revolutionize concerts, by turning them into theatrical productions, she was one of the FIRST to tackle the Catholic church's stance on gay rights (when Elton John was too afraid to come out of the closet), and was one of the first to insist on AIDS research and gay rights way back when it was NOT fashionable to do so. It was a much more conservative time period back then.

Posted by Justifymyconfessions on 2013-11-08 16:43:06

My bad. Bored This Way will be forever remembered as the song that sounded JUST LIKE A MADONNA SONG.

Posted by Justifymyconfessions on 2013-11-08 16:36:27

How about comparing sales of Born This Way with Teenage Dream or Adele's 21? Born This Way came out when the world actually still liked Lady Gaga.

Posted by Justifymyconfessions on 2013-11-08 16:35:59

I don't "follow her every move" either- it made NEWS, dipshit. It's this wonderful thing called THE NEWS- they give you information about things that happen. I have friends who LOVE Gaga, and they TELL ME THINGS. See how that works? God, you monsters truly are abysmally DUMB.

Oh please honey. They didn't hurt her because she opted for out of court payouts. Do you know what that means? She knew she would have lost the case and didn't want to get extra publicity for the plagiarizing of other peoples work. I don't understand why you cannot accept that Madonna has done everything you accuse Gaga of. Everything literally everything Madge has done was done by someone before her. I love Madonna, but I'm not blind.

Posted by Timothy Pullins on 2013-11-08 13:18:21

I never claimed people weren't offended I just said I had never heard that (because I don't follow her every move like you do). I just pointed out that it's silly to be offended by that,

This is old news and again I don't care about this you are the only person here who cares that much about Gaga and her life.

Posted by michaelbarrett92 on 2013-11-08 13:09:50

Britney: doesn't even sing.

Katy: silly songs for romantic teenagers.

Aguilera: screams way too much, bad attitude.

Miley: come on give me a break.

Beyoncé: zzzzzzzz

Ke$ha, Avril: jokes.

Gaga: down hill.

R.I.P. pop music.

Oh, I forgot: Rihanna is cool.

Posted by Celso Dossi on 2013-11-08 09:23:42

Well "sister", did it hurt Madge any? NOPE. She's still very much the Queen of Pop- and many of those "cases" were thrown out of court or settled- many were simply people trying to cash in on Madonna's amazing success. And the IRONY of a Gaga fan calling another artist out for COPYING is just downright delicious. Please GO ON with this shit. You guys are hilarious.

Posted by Justifymyconfessions on 2013-11-08 08:40:52

She even had eggs pelted at her in Australia for doing the wheelchair bit- and Bette Midler did the mermaid in a wheelchair thing years before Gaga. Just another thing she ripped off.

Posted by Justifymyconfessions on 2013-11-08 08:20:18

Bitter? Because I don't like Lady Gaga anymore? LMAO, you monsters take the cake.

Posted by Justifymyconfessions on 2013-11-08 08:18:20

Oh really? Care to dispute that?

Posted by Justifymyconfessions on 2013-11-07 20:31:15

FARTpop ^^

Posted by JustPlayin' on 2013-11-07 18:09:48

I should really consider becoming a Madonna fan so I can troll on literally all of Lady Gaga's album reviews and talk even more about her than I already do!

I mean, I really like Madonna, too, but her fans...Jesus Christ, give it a rest!

Posted by Miguel on 2013-11-07 16:23:24

You are so delusion and bitter. Seriously, I feel bad for whomever has to deal with you on a daily basis.

Posted by Miguel on 2013-11-07 16:17:31

You seem to talk a big game, but half the claims you made don't have any substantial evidence.

Posted by Miguel on 2013-11-07 16:14:49

"Nobody will remember Born This Way or You and I."

Ha! The delusion.

Posted by Miguel on 2013-11-07 16:12:34

Gaga didn't sell her album for 99c Amazon did.

Posted by james on 2013-11-07 15:59:54

No I didn't hear about it because I didn't, I don't actually follow every little detail of Gaga's life like you do.

I don't find it offensive at all, she needed to use a wheelchair and she wanted to stylize it or whatever, I doubt she is the first person to do that.

I love how you keep saying it wasn't even in the top five! :O Coz as you know it was number six and yes it was one of the best selling tours of all time.

Yes the fact that I bother to argue with some idiot who spends all their time unfairly trashing a popstar is hilarious. My reasons to defend her are that most of what you are saying is either biased or just not true. That's not exactly difficult to come up with one only needs to have honesty and a functioning brain.

I don't give a crap about Madonna tbh but good for her she's successful, yay for that. What's your point though?

Hmm and i really don't know why you would be obsessed with Gaga but you know allot about her (even if you are misinformed about allot of it) you obviously like to talk about her, you seem to care about every little thing that she does. Obsession doesn't have to be positive you know.

I really don't see this downfall, The predictions for her new album are lower than her last but it's still higher than any other female this year. She is already out selling Katy Perry in Japan (selling more in a day than Katy did in a week).

I really don't care about who gets more headlines or what your personal opinions are on Gaga's performances they don't predict a downfall. Madonna sells allot because she is Madonna and yay for her but she has had years to build a fan base and managed to keep. She has also had bad years and bad selling albums but she stayed on top. Maybe gaga will and maybe she won't but I don't think this year is the end of Gaga as she will most likely be one of the biggest selling artists of the year.

Posted by michaelbarrett92 on 2013-11-07 14:03:46

Ignorance, incivility and arrogance combined. You seem like someone who says something provocative and then screams 'LA LA LA LA LA!!!' when another person expresses his/her opinion. I have loved LG's records (especially Born This Way) and have admired her hardworking nature. I'm not really sure she can be called the most world's important pop star yet, although she may be the world's most prominent mainstream pop artist with genuinely great and catchy records. I don't think her concepts flow that well though, and there's a stuffy self-consciousness that mar a few of her records from sounding tuneful. I'm still not a fan of Applause (Judas won me over after one and half months) and I still can't figure out what she thought while making the tuneless Aura.

M.I.A's records like Arular, Kala and even Maya are far more radical but the songs have a harmony even in their seemingly discordant and chaotic arrangements (songs like Stepping Up, Meds and Feds). Madonna's decisions about her musical approach for each album are as calculated as Gaga's, but she manages to sound less relaxed and more controlled in majority of her works. And the most important female artist who's given wonderful, wonderful records and needs to be given more support by audiences is Janelle Monae, in my opinion.

-Manicure = My first kiss (3OH!3)-Do what you want = the deep (dance with the dead)-Artpop = Listen to Ray of light (the album) + Bedtime Story (the song) and Heart of Glass (Blondie)-Swine and Donatella have very similar beats (to highlight the fact she managed to repeat herself IN THE SAME ALBUM)-Fashion = Holiday (Madonna) + Let's Dance (David Bowie) + Music Sounds Better with you (Stardust)-Gipsy = Thunder Road (Bruce Springsteen) + her OWN Highway Unicorn

Posted by Jordan on 2013-11-07 11:36:29

Many of those cases were thrown out of court, as many people simply tried to leech onto her massive fame. And it certainly hasn't affected Madonna in ANY way, shape, or form- if it had, people wouldn't still shell out BIG BUCKS to see her in concert- you know, like last year, when her MDNA tour was the TOP-GROSSING, #1 TOUR OF THE YEAR?

Posted by Justifymyconfessions on 2013-11-07 08:02:39

Well sister I don't see Gaga losing those cases like Madge did. I mean really come on.

Posted by Timothy Pullins on 2013-11-07 01:36:51

maybe she should sell albums at 99cents like gaga did

Posted by Tonio Time on 2013-11-06 22:50:44

honey, no.

Posted by Patrick on 2013-11-06 19:19:27

You DIDN'T hear about it? Probably because you didn't want to hear about it. Don't you find a popstar riding around in a gold encrusted wheelchair the slightest bit offensive? If it were Madonna, she would have been CRUCIFIED.

And NO, the BTW Ball is NOT one of the biggest tours of all time. It wasn't even in the top 5 tours of 2012. You desperately try to come up with excuses for it's failure- funny, every time MADONNA goes on tour, HER tours are extremely successful, even 30 years later.

Why in the world would I be "obsessed" with Gaga? I laugh at her now- she's a fucking train wreck. Her appearances on GMA and X-Factor were shockingly bad, and the songs Applause, Venus, and Swine are God-awful- her downfall is quite entertaining to watch, I will admit. Britney was NOWHERE near this bad. Lady Gaga is a true has-been at this point, and NOBODY can deny that her popularity peaked with "Bad Romance". She is Madonna-lite, and nowhere near as interesting. Madge proved she can still dominate worldwide headlines, as her MDNA tour devastated Gaga's silly tour,and made much more headlines. Gaga only made news when she was photographed THROWING UP onstage (but still managing to SING), or her plastic castle falling apart, or a backup dancer conking her in the head with a pipe.

Posted by Justifymyconfessions on 2013-11-06 16:49:04

Hmm I didn't hear of it offending anyone but hey people are offended by the silliest things these days. Tbh I really don't know about this it could have been doing badly towards the end because it was so long and straight after her last tour but it was still listed as one of the highest grossing tours of all time. I just don't see why she would feel like she needed to hide low sales (if they even exist) she made a fortune off that tour.

Hmm the youtube playlists thing was apparently just the wrong list and those views didn't count anyway coz they were marked as spam the billboard guy was mistaken in thinking that they did.

I don't really care about any of this online popularity crap anyway and I don't trust your word as you are clearly obsessed with her.

Posted by michaelbarrett92 on 2013-11-06 15:23:47

ARTPOOP.

Posted by Celso Dossi on 2013-11-06 14:36:49

Oh, that's right. Her DIAMOND ENCRUSTED wheelchair that offended tons of handicapped people. Silly me. What a God-awful bitch she is. And the facts are THIS- her South American leg of her tour was disastrous, and so was her North American tour. She was selling about 9,000 tickets PER venue in North America, right before it was cancelled. That is ABYSMAL sales for someone so "hot". Further proof that the world is sick to death of Lady Gaga. Her online popularity has nose-dived, she had over 176 million youtube views stripped from her VEVO channel as FAKE VIEWS, and most of her twitter followers were found to be FAKE. Just like her.

Posted by Justifymyconfessions on 2013-11-06 14:06:49

She can't get over Madonna, I think the drugs have taken their toll and the damage might be irreversible

Posted by rubendiaz on 2013-11-06 12:24:37

Yes right, Of course she faked a serious injury to get out of a failing tour, it couldn't be honesty could it. no no it's all a conspiracy of course. ;)

but seriously I assume her "I was the last to know" comment was about her thinking she could go on before being told by her doctor that she really couldn't or something, Maybe she was able to walk after her surgery. Patients of hip surgery can in some cases be up and walking in the same day and the recovery for the surgery she had wasn't necessarily a long one. Also I am not sure if that comment is even true because Gaga was in a wheelchair three weeks after the surgery and her recovery was apparently longer than usual. Maybe she could walk but she was using a wheelchair because she needed to rest or maybe she couldn't and she wasn't spotted tottering around in heels.

Posted by michaelbarrett92 on 2013-11-06 10:19:04

Honey, I'm happy with this Madonna compassion. I love Madonna. I love Gaga. I love that Gaga is the ONLY new generation pop star compared with pop legend Madonna. It says much about her RELEVANCE and sad desperation (even checking what Lady Gaga does, when you hate her so much) from your side. Have a nice day.

Posted by ksenofont on 2013-11-06 07:06:42

Yes that's what get me so confused. When i think of ARTPOP i think of clever or witty songs with a purpose. Donatella starts of kind of humorous and self aware, but just ends up becoming a bunch of embarrassing cliches. I just dont get what shes trying to say, like on Swine+Aura, songs about serious and ambitious topics set to vapid club beats. The lyrics+vocals just lose whatever power their intended to have. Then theirs all the literal tracks like Applause, Sex Dreams, Jewels N Drugs, Fashion, Dope, Manicure, GUY and Gypsy which dont have much layers and are pretty one track mind in their meaning. But I will give her props for Mary Jane Holland on which shes very self aware, both celebrating weed and poking fun at herself and what a mess she is :). As well as Do What U Want. love the double meaning, you can take it at both face value (sex) and a deeper level (media+public perception). That's the gaga I fell in love with, and what made The Fame Monster such a stellar piece of work, the lyrics were well crafted and left just enough out to to keep you guessing and wondering. And even more importantly the music matched the lyrics, the icy, detached sythnpop production just further enhanced alot of morbid undertones in the lyrics. I still remember everybody obsessing about the songmeanings and which monster each song was channeling. Such a good time to be a gaga fan...

Posted by Taurado on 2013-11-05 23:07:24

This is an album that is so disjointed. These were the best songs out of 100 she wrote for it? LOL. Drugs, drugs, drugs.

Posted by Sun Ra God on 2013-11-05 20:29:58

Can you elaborate on what other female pop elite have done with their spotlight? I see Gaga who has been a powerful voice for the LGBT community, created the Born This Brave bus tour, and has tried (despite some out-of-control fans) to spread a message of love. What has Rihanna or Katy Perry done that is even similar to that? I don't know much about them so I'm actually asking. Thanks, Angela.

Posted by Angela on 2013-11-05 19:51:15

I love how she spells words out! and how she reads all the names of the stars ! or all the countries ! so creative ! ART !

Posted by Juan Belindez on 2013-11-05 19:29:52

The same thing can be said for Gaga. "Bad Romance" was definitely her peak- it's all been downhill ever since. Nobody will remember "Bored This Way" or "You and I"- disposable pop. Her popularity isn't anywhere near it was 3 years ago, even my grandma knows that. Denial, much?

Posted by Justifymyconfessions on 2013-11-05 19:05:31

The hip injury was bullshit. Gaga herself said she was the LAST to know her tour was being cancelled- the math does not add up. And she was seen traipsing around New York just a week after her "surgery" in fucking high heels. Sorry if you're too dumb to swallow that lame excuse, but don't insult my intelligence. As for Madonna being "relevant"- over 114 MILLION people tuned in to watch Madonna on the super bowl- if that's not relevance, then I don't know what is. Also, her appearances on Rock Center, Anderson Cooper, and Graham Norton brought in over a million extra viewers for each show, and all this was in Madonna's 30th year as an entertainer. And over 3 million people chose to see Madonna in concert than a half-assed wannabe. Madonna's albums still debut at #1 and still sell millions of copies. She still makes worldwide headlines. She turned "reductive" into a catchphrase. That sounds like RELEVANCE to me.

Posted by Justifymyconfessions on 2013-11-05 18:57:17

You mean the hip injury, and its better than trying to stay relivant in a new generation. cough, cough....

Posted by Leo on 2013-11-05 18:50:24

Gaga has been sued quite a few times too.

Posted by Justifymyconfessions on 2013-11-05 18:36:53

Speaking of TOURS- Gaga's dumb BTW ball last year didn't even make the top 5.... Madonna's came in at #1. Gaga was playing to EMPTY STADIUMS, and was cancelled due to LOW TICKET SALES. cough, cough.....

Posted by Justifymyconfessions on 2013-11-05 18:36:00

It just doesn't have the "wow" factor like The Fame. Nonetheless, its a solid pop release and it gets better with listens. It really displays the tight production from Zedd, White Shadow, & Madeon constructed in each song.

Posted by Chris on 2013-11-05 17:12:25

Agreed. Perry sells singles...but not albums.

Posted by Artie Lee Bray on 2013-11-05 17:06:23

You mean like the 12+ times Madge has been sued for copyright infringement? ;-)

Posted by Artie Lee Bray on 2013-11-05 17:03:22

Beyonce has sold more albums. Plain and simple as day, the majority of Beyonce's career was before the digital era so of course Gaga would of sold more singles seeing as gaga now has 4 albums that have all been in the digital era as opposed to beyonce's 2, but you seem to discredit singles based on your bias towards katy, so Beyonce is more successful than them all (including when it comes to tours since Beyonce produces her own shows and gets the majority of the profits, unlike the 360 deal that katy and gaga are on with livenation). (:

Posted by Beysus on 2013-11-05 16:45:07

Please revise your comment with nothing less than respect for someone's opinion.

Posted by 4567TME on 2013-11-05 16:32:44

I respect this review and think it's well written! I personally think this is her best album yet, considering some risks she took! It's a very fun and not at all serious album like BTW. But I won't give the album a 5 out of 5 nor a 4.5 because there are a few misses but will give it a 4 out of 5 which I guess people won't agree with due to the fact that I am a big fan but this album makes me want to dance and that's exactly what I wanted from the album! Screw the comparisons! This album is fun energetic and very best listened to at high volume and bass! If you don't like it, fair enough, respected, move on to the next one! That's all there is to it!

Posted by Guido on 2013-11-05 15:38:03

She is so gross and of course all she does is copy Madonna. If I were Madonna I'd sue her ass out of the business

Posted by Patrick on 2013-11-05 13:32:40

Comparing Born This Way with Prism is useless and foolhardy. A more apt comparison would be Born This Way and Teenage Dream, both of which sold approximately 6 million copies, or Prism and Artpop.

Posted by r0ckmypants on 2013-11-05 13:12:30

Gaga has NOT outsold Beyonce, not by a long shot, and her sales are nearly the same as Katy Perry's.

Posted by r0ckmypants on 2013-11-05 13:10:14

I don't think ppl know what gaga was trying to do on this album, she went in a different direction on did it good. She will ways be Betty than katy perry I'm sry but it's just a fact.

She takes the piss out of herself a bit on this album but I like that. I think it's pretty obvious that it's not all serious but then it's all meant to be art isn't it.

Posted by michaelbarrett92 on 2013-11-05 10:11:06

Just because all other pop albums are "bublegum teenage stuff" doesn't mean she's a better songwriter. She's drawing from a very, very limited sonic pallet and it's one which becames very grating over the course of 15 tracks (in my opinion). And I suggest you think back to 7th grade.

Posted by David on 2013-11-05 09:02:40

This is clearly one of gaga weakest albums. Its lyrical content is whats really disappointing. Like the review implied, its lacks the wit and self awareness of some of her earlier stuff. You cant really tell what most of the songs are trying to achieve or whether their meant to taken seriously or not. Not to mention the overblown dance beats constantly drowning what ever power/emotion the lyrics are trying to convey. I know gaga wanted to lighten up after the Born This Way era, but this is just too much fluff. Very disappointed, can only hope shes a little more inspired with the next album.

Posted by Taurado on 2013-11-05 08:46:21

"What matters is what you do with the spotlight." You couldn't have said it any better. Like you said music(or anything created that becomes popular), is really just a vehicle for artists to express their ideas with the world and to make a difference. A true icon makes a difference. the ones easily forgotten only make an album.

Posted by Garrett Pletcher on 2013-11-04 23:51:23

Incredible review - as always - I found the similarities between EOG and Gypsy so evident- but the latter is an improvement - the lyrics - the dynamism- a great album- I had supposed you would stake her alive

Posted by Bruno on 2013-11-04 22:33:01

Really? She is a great song-writer. Did you listen to all other pop albums, they are all bublegum teenage stuff, even the "bad-ass hardcore" Miley. I did not know 7th graders had sex dreams.

Posted by Manuel Perez on 2013-11-04 22:30:45

Katy Perry is not more successful than Lady Gaga dont fall into the Trap. Not because Roar has out clocked Applause means nothing. Gaga's first album has out sold all of Katy's combined and has spare sales left. And Gaga has matched Beyonce's level (please direct your attention to Telephone & Video Phone Remix). An artist like Lady Gaga doesnt need to continue to make songs like Paparazzi or LoveGame, Just like how Beyonce doesnt need to make another Naughty Girl or Crazy in Love. Both women are accomplished enough to try new things in their careers. Gaga is the Definition of Pop Royalty in the 21st century

Posted by Nick on 2013-11-04 20:33:52

Sure this album isn't ground breaking or moving so far ahead of what she's done in the past, but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. It's still a great, solid pop album. Born This Way was a little different, not as mainstream, and it turned some people off. With Artpop, she's kinda giving people what they want and love from her. And there is some different kinda stuff….Do What U Want is more R&B influenced than anything she's done before, for example.

Posted by James on 2013-11-04 19:38:24

Two things I noticed I didn't agree with1: "You get the sense that Gaga is finally giving us the real Stefani Germanotta"2:"Gaga is still very much a pupil of pop" I have some problems with these statements as firstly when has Gaga been anything other than herself? You see her underneath all those wigs and outfits and not understand maybe that is just who she is. She can be anyone she chooses, that is her, and she only decided to take all of it off so she could try and make anyone who perhaps isn't a fan understand that part of her.Secondly, I know she's only been in the industry for about 5 years but in that time she's been monumentally successful in album sales, in single sales, in chart presence and in award ceremonies. Nobody else has had that much staying power. She has proven that she's pretty darn good at penning amazing pop songs for the masses, and I admit that yes recently it hasn't quite been geared towards the general public as such but at heart she is an album artist and her music is a journey, and if by the end it's not your thing that's fine but I just want more people to look further into her artistry as opposed to just viewing the surface where you could be in danger of being blinded by the superficiality.

Posted by Rowan Middle†on on 2013-11-04 19:24:06

You asked her question and he gave his personal answer to it.

Posted by Andii on 2013-11-04 19:21:04

This is an album I'll respect more for trying to be different than actually listen to. Most of the songs just aren't something you WANT to listen. A curious ear will open, and then close and move onto something a bit more...structured and melodic. It's a wacky album full of all the high tech tics and tricks we expect from Gaga. Nothing surprising here much at all, except that none of the songs are really something you'd want to keep on repeat for an hour. "Artpop" is just a mish-mash of sounds to me, looking for something and finding it in randomness. I kind of knew this is what the album would be so I wasn't disappointed after listening to the full thing. But honestly, only the track "Gypsy" really made me feel like it would be something I'd keep on my music player for longer than a couple of weeks. Almost every other song will be deleted.

Posted by Donttryit on 2013-11-04 18:35:06

So I've been a big detractor of what she's released so far from this album. I'd be lying if I didn't think all of the song's we've heard before now (apart from--MAYBE--"Dope") but I'll admit that this album does have some very well crafted moments. Well, two: "G.U.Y." and "Artpop". The latter track would be among the greatest she's ever written if not for the completely inane lyrics.

The problem with Gaga has never been the music, it's been the complete lack of self-awareness and shameless aping from other acts while claiming to be wholly original. And some of the songs on this album--"Swine", "Gypsy", "MANiCURE" (what an awful title!)--are so painfully tone deaf that I don't see how this gets such a high rating. I agree there are well crafted moments, but I think you're being too kind to even say that she's "scrambling to maintain, if not reclaim, her position among today's pop elite." It seems to me that she's already lost it. Did you see the iTunes performance of "Swine"? That was incredible (although again, the lyrics are hideously, hideously bad and disturbingly evocative of racial-supremacist propaganda, but that's besides the point). First: the psych-rock intro was a nice touch, right? But of course, she had to eliminate that for the album version. Again: total lack of self-awareness. And she doesn't seem to have figured out the over-singing she does live does not translate to the studio at all.

I wish it was easier for me to dismiss her completely, but regardless of what the singles indicated I can't say she's lost it completely. It's a shame she writes angsty 7th grade punk girl level lyrics and seems to cop other artists' moves far too often. You're far too kind to claim she "knows how to write catchy hooks" in regards to "Venus". It might as well be a cover version.

Whatever. I have a feeling this album will not be received well apart from her fan base, and I don't really care. She is still emblematic to me of wasted talent. What a shame.

Posted by David on 2013-11-04 18:27:30

America has this obsessive need to give royal titles to everyone that steps into the scene. No one else does it, despite the fact that other countries have contributed much more to music. We don't need "kings" or "queens" of pop music. (Are they compensating for a lack of actual royal families?) But ask yourself this: When Katy Perry doesn't release another album, who will remember her? When JB stops being famous, what will be left of him? music is just a vehicle. What matters is what you DO with the spotlight while you have it. That's what defines a true icon of popular culture. We all know who the elite pop star really is, don't kid yourself.

Posted by Nichola Schelden on 2013-11-04 17:59:19

Thank you for having a strong, formed opinion, but next time please have the decency of making your own post instead of replying to mine with an opinion I don't care for nor agree with.

Posted by Nichola Schelden on 2013-11-04 17:49:02

Additionally, I knew people would say she's "regressing" because she decided to have a li'l bit of fun this time around. With BTW Gaga felt she needed to say something to inspire her fans, while with ARTPOP she just wanted to lay everything on the table and have some fun. She has said this several times between 2012 and now. I think with songs like Donatella and Aura, she is definitely taking the piss. I mean, despite how pretentious you may find her, you can't possibly thing the Uranus joke in Venus and faux accent at the beginning of Donatella are Gaga trying to be serious... right?

Posted by Anthagio on 2013-11-04 17:43:07

Beyonce and Katy Perry are not more successful than Gaga when it comes to music. Gaga has sold more solo records than both of those girls and has grossed more on tour. I don't know where you're getting your facts from, but they're wrong.

You don't have to like the album, obviously, but it makes no sense to call this album "very noisy, disjointed, egomaniacal record" and then turn around and say you like her earlier work. All of her records are "very noisy, disjointed, egomaniacal record". "very noisy, disjointed, egomaniacal record" is what Gaga is.

Posted by Anthagio on 2013-11-04 17:38:21

Maybe it is because she has been in between albums, and her single releases haven't been as strong as Katy Perry's, Lorde or Miley Cirus. But she seems to be doing well with Dope. And all released songs from Art Pop have done OK to well. So I agree, Lady Gaga is still part of the current female pop elite. Current King of Pop: Justin B or Justin T? Current Queen of Pop: Rihanna, Katy Perry or Lady Gaga?

Posted by I tow the line on 2013-11-04 17:37:28

The title track feels completely new to me. Like a love song from the year 2113. I really do think this is an original album worth celebrating.

Posted by TheHanyo on 2013-11-04 17:30:52

Well, according to Katy Perry's label, she is the "biggest popstar on the planet" despite underwhelming sales in both the US and worldwide (she only pulled 1/4th of what Gaga did in BTW). I suppose as of right now, you're only "pop elite" if you have a #1 single, which Katy racks up in abundance.

Posted by Anthagio on 2013-11-04 17:28:25

Great review! Thanks for the objectivity and pointing out what you did.

Posted by Anthagio on 2013-11-04 17:27:06

"Artpop isn't the sound of an artist moving forward, but of one scrambling to maintain, if not reclaim, her position among today's pop elite." Could you please tell me exactly who is "today's pop elite" if not Lady Gaga?

I do not agree with that. This IS the sound of a mainstream pop artist moving forward. I'm impressed you didn't notice that, but perhaps you need to relisten tracks like 'Swine', 'Venus', 'G.U.Y', 'ARTPOP' and the emotional ballad 'Dope'. She's moving forward both lyrically and musically. Gaga has never talked about addiction, her early life and such in the way she did on ARTPOP before. Songs on Born This Way, like Hair and its title track, were empowering for her fans. But not as much for herself. The songs on ARTPOP show much more of how she feels and thinks rather than how she wants to help a big part of her enormous fandom.She's moving forward musically, there's basically no song on ARTPOP besides perhaps Gypsy, Applause and Do What You Want (funnily enough the single choices, which I think is sad). Listen to a song like ARTPOP, a song like Venus. You would not be able to find that on any of her previous albums and it's clear to me that she's improving album by album. Her vocals on this album were great too and the production was perfect.The only track I didn't enjoy myself would be MANiCURE, but many critics seem to love that song so I guess something's wrong with my ears.

Posted by Luc on 2013-11-04 17:26:24

The many other stars who are more successful, like Beyoncé or Katy Perry, for example. I used to like Gaga, and hope to again in the future, but 3.5 out of 5 is extremely charitable for this very noisy, disjointed, egomaniacal record. There is almost zero joy here. It's unfathomable that the person behind "Bad Romance" and "Paparazzi" and "LoveGame" churned this out. Sorry, Monsters, just my opinion. I hope you will enjoy the record and not pay attention to those of us who do not.

Posted by matthewrettenmund on 2013-11-04 17:22:38

While I'd probably rate it slightly higher, I agree with this review. Artpop is a solid but somewhat incoherent collection of pop gems that covers a wide array of topics (fame, sex, drugs, etc.) and that, in my opinion, only has one bad track ("Jewels N' Drugs). Still, I find it hard to complain about it because it's easily the best pop album of the year. It's one of those albums where each song has sound and theme of its own, and ends up sounding a bit disconnected because of that, but the quality of the individual songs is there. I'm surprised you didn't mention "Donatella", since I found it to be the most fun "pure pop moment" of the album. Great review, Sal, I particularly found your analysis of "Venus" very interesting.

Posted by Matt Forrest on 2013-11-04 17:22:16

I don't agree with anything you wrote. But there's something that had me puzzled for a good 20 minutes and I hope you can enlighten me.

"Artpop isn't the sound of an artist moving forward, but of one scrambling to maintain, if not reclaim, her position among today's pop elite." Could you please tell me exactly who is "today's pop elite" if not Lady Gaga? I'm sorry but if Lady Gaga is not today's most important and elite pop star, then I'm at a loss, because apart from this woman, pop landscape has been nothing but plain stupidity. WHO is today's "pop elite"!?!?